The human uvula sweeps the back of the throat when swallowing and creates a point of drainage for the nasal passages. When the uvula and/or palate become enlarged or the muscles become weak or relaxed a narrowing of the breathing passage occurs which can result in snoring. Enlargement due to fatty deposits can occur in people who are obese; loss of muscle tone can occur in people who consume large quantities of alcohol. Age and illness can also cause such conditions which contribute to snoring. Often the condition is so severe that surgical intervention is required to reshape the uvula and soft palate in a procedure called uvulapalatoplasty. This surgical procedure can remove a portion of the uvula and/or make trenches which cause the uvula muscles to contract and tighten up to the palate. Historically this surgical procedure was done as a full surgical operation with general anesthesia and multi-day hospital stay. Presently using lasers it can be done with or without local anesthesia on an outpatient basis. During the procedure the surgeon may choose to sharply focus the laser to make a sharp slicing cut or may de-focus the laser somewhat to cause more heating which engenders greater muscle constriction and faster coagulation.
However, the focus adjustment requires both the surgeon's hands to manipulate two counter-rotating barrels which effect the focus variation. A further complication arises because the surgeon must hold the patient's tongue out of the way with a tongue depressor. Thus any change in focus necessitates an interruption or delay in the surgical procedure.
Separately, the procedure produces much smoke and laser plume, typically cloudy and noxious, which obscures the surgeon's view and creates anxiety for the patient. The smoke is generally drawn away by an assistant with a smoke evacuator held close to the patient's mouth.